Decisions about buying a home are highly emotional and with emotions so strong, it's important that you still take care to protect this important investment. And that means being prepared. There are several diverse Orlando real estate issues facing buyers and we want to provide you with the right information in order to make intelligent decisions. We understand the nuances and concerns of owning a home in Central Florida, so we have put together a brief summary of some of the major issues facing homebuyers here. Remember, a forewarned buyer is a forearmed buyer!
Termites
Termites love our warm weather too, and Central Florida is one of the termite capitals of the world. Termites cause over $1 billion a year in property damage in Florida alone, with 95% percent of it caused by subterranean termites. These termites nest in the ground and gain entrance to a home by building mud tunnels or entering through crack as small as 1/64 of an inch. Because they need moisture to survive, the constantly travel between the home and the soil. Fortunately, there are several new preventative and remedial treatments such as Sentricon and Termidor that are helping us win the battle. Some builders are even using mesh screening and borate treated wood as a preventative. Most vulnerable are stucco covered wood frame homes with the stucco touching the ground. It is possible to have the stucco cut above the grade level to make it easier to detect the termites' mud shelter tubes. The building codes now require the finished stucco to be above ground level.
Bottom line, it's good to have a termite bond on any home, but particularly one that is wood frame construction.
Concrete Block vs. Wood Frame Construction
Most homes built in Florida today have a stucco exterior finish. More important is what lies beneath that stucco finish. Is it wood framing or concrete block? The photos below illustrate the easiest way to tell if the construction is frame or block. With frame construction, the windows will almost always be flush with the wall. With block construction, the window will be recessed about four inches and sometimes will have a precast sill.
Truth is, even most homes that are said to be block construction have some wood frame elements. Even a home with all concrete block exterior walls will have wood roof trusses, baseboards, and furring strips for the drywall. While some builders use metal interior studs, the load bearing walls will be built with wood.
Bottom line, concrete block construction is more termite resistant, simply because there is less wood for the termites to eat. Concrete block construction is also considered to be more wind resistant, though wood frame can be built to withstand up to 120 mph winds.
Wood frame construction allows for more insulation in the walls, which means higher energy efficiency. It also allows for more detail and angle construction than concrete block.
Stucco over wood frame construction is less of a concern than it was five years ago, with the advent of more advanced and effective termite prevention and treatment systems.
School Zones
Zoning for schools can be a little tricky in Central Florida. For instance, the Lake Mary school district in Seminole County has schools that have very high average test scores and they are highly sought-after. But any home in Lake Mary north of Lake Mary Blvd. is zoned for middle and high school school in Sanford, an area with average schools. Don't assume because the property you're interested in has a desirable address that it will necessarily be in the most desirable school district. Several gated and luxury home communities such as Heathrow, Magnolia Plantation, and Lake Forest are in average school zones.
Flood Prone Areas
Some of the finest homes and subdivisions in the area are built on swampland that was filled in to bring it above the 100 year flood plain. But the ground on which these homes sit never seems to want to dry out during the rainy season. This can cause a problem especially for homes using a septic system for sewage disposal. Septic systems can be very effective but they work better if they're on higher ground.
Many lakefront homes have part of the property within the 100 year flood plain but the pad the house sits on will be above it. Do you need flood insurance here automatically?
It's up to you, but most people do not get flood insurance if they are not within the 100 year flood plain.
Interstate 4 Direction
This is not a real estate issue but it's worth mentioning here. Many people new to the area get confused about I-4 because the road is marked east and west. The only problem is, through most of the Orlando area, it's actually running in a north and south direction.
Heat Pumps
Most of the heating and air conditioning in today's Central Florida homes is by use of a heat pump. Think of a heat pump as an air conditioner that works in reverse to provide heat. In hot weather, it absorbs heat from indoor air and transfers it outdoors. In cold weather, the process is reversed and the heat from the outside is transferred indoors. Here is a simple explanation:
Winter Heating
- Heat is extracted from air by outdoor coil.
- Refrigerant gas carries heat to indoor unit.
- Circulating indoor air picks up heat and carries it throughout the home.
Summer Cooling
- Heat is extracted from home's air by indoor coil.
- Refrigerant gas carries heat to outdoor unit.
- Heat is rejected to the outdoors.
With our subtropical climate, you'll find yourself using both the air conditioning and heat during the winter months. Heat pumps are not as effective as the temperature drops below 40 degrees, but there are auxiliary heat strips to boost the heat during the cold snaps.
Sinkholes
Sinkholes are a common, naturally occurring geologic feature and one of the predominant landforms in Florida. Many of Central Florida's lakes were actually formed from sinkholes. Sinkholes are most common in times of heavy rainfall or severe drought, when there are severe changes in the underground aquifer causing collapses in the underlying limestone formations. They are rarely anything more than a nuisance, with very few causing substantial property and structural damage. Most Florida homeowner's insurance policies cover loss suffered from sinkholes.